Rapid evolution in native plants cultivated for ecological restoration: not a general pattern

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Restoration projects require large quantities of native seeds.
• Seeds are often produced via large-scale cultivation from wild-collected sources.
• Cultivation may impose novel selection pressures, potentially altering plant adaptation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess genetic and phenotypic changes in native plant species during agricultural propagation.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of propagation methods in maintaining adaptation to natural habitats.
• To identify species particularly vulnerable to evolutionary changes during cultivation.

Main Methods:

• Collected seeds from multiple generations of five grassland species from a commercial producer.
• Utilized Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers for genetic analysis.
• Conducted a common garden experiment to evaluate phenotypic traits.

Main Results:

• Significant genetic changes were detected in three of the five species.
• Significant phenotypic changes were observed in two species.
• Medicago lupulina, a short-lived, selfing species, exhibited substantial genetic and phenotypic shifts, unlike perennial, outcrossing species.

Conclusions:

• Agricultural propagation of native seeds can induce evolutionary changes, particularly in certain species.
• Selfing and short-lived species may evolve more rapidly under cultivation.
• Careful consideration is needed during seed production for restoration to mitigate unintended evolutionary consequences.